Curve Confusion

If I use the trial version of NC to load a custom curve, it is only used when I select Custom, correct? I assume that if I choose the Normal processing, the downloaded curve doesn't have any effect on my imagaes. The reason that I am asking is only one curve can be installed at a time and I didn't know if the settings in the D70 counted as a curve or not.

If I use the trial version of NC to load a custom curve, it is only used when I select Custom, correct? I assume that if I choose the Normal processing, the downloaded curve doesn't have any effect on my imagaes. The reason that I am asking is only one curve can be installed at a time and I didn't know if the settings in the D70 counted as a curve or not.

Thanks.

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Each setting, More contrast, less contrast, normal contrast and none are curves built into the camera. Custom is a curve you can define yourself. Whichever curve you choose, either built-in or custom, will be applied to the picture you see on the back of the camera AND to any jpeg image files your camera makes. The RAW files do not have any curve applied until you actually convert them. Nikon's software will apply the curve as a setting, but you can change that.

If I understand your question.......................I believe you have a choice of either a custom curve or the standard camera curve, but not both. By installing a custom curve you are nullifying the camera's curve. Somebody jump in here and correct me if I'm wrong.

If I understand your question.......................I believe you have a choice of either a custom curve or the standard camera curve, but not both. By installing a custom curve you are nullifying the camera's curve. Somebody jump in here and correct me if I'm wrong.

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Okay, I will jump :lol:

As stated earlier, all the tone compensation settings except custom are built into the camera and always there. You can only change the custom tone curve, and you can flip back to any of the built in tone settings like normal and less contrast.

By the way, Rory, can I change the low exposure level noise setting without messing up a custom curve?

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Hi Chris

That's a good question. I would guess that you can, but I am not certain. Different tone curves certainly can impact the amount of noise in the image. In the absence of an expert opinion my only advice is to try.

Noise level in shadows depends (all things being equal) on how "good" is the data for conversion from RAW to RGB. You can plug shadows, letting them - and noise - go. This can be done with a camera curve, or in post-processing. Or you can bump the shadows with a camera curve, providing information for converter in a more "convinient" form, and then plug in postprocessing at acceptable noise level. This method provides 0.5-1 eV better range for the price of time and effort in post; and also allows for better noise reduction technique.

Each setting, More contrast, less contrast, normal contrast and none are curves built into the camera. Custom is a curve you can define yourself. Whichever curve you choose, either built-in or custom, will be applied to the picture you see on the back of the camera AND to any jpeg image files your camera makes. The RAW files do not have any curve applied until you actually convert them. Nikon's software will apply the curve as a setting, but you can change that.

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I have been laboring under the understanding (delusion?) that a custom curve only affects JPEG files, and that downloading NEF files into ACR would not apply the curve. And since I always use RAW/JPG there seemed no need for NC.
Do I understand that you are saying that NC will apply the curve to RAW files when downloaded? If I always post process my RAW files can't the same result be obtained in PS anyway?

I'm not trying to be argumentative, just thought that I had finally settled it in my own mind until read your quote above.

I have been laboring under the understanding (delusion?) that a custom curve only affects JPEG files, and that downloading NEF files into ACR would not apply the curve. And since I always use RAW/JPG there seemed no need for NC.
Do I understand that you are saying that NC will apply the curve to RAW files when downloaded? If I always post process my RAW files can't the same result be obtained in PS anyway?

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Nikon Capture, displays the RAW (NEF) shot with the curve applied, as well as any other settings you had in effect. That is the one feature, or capability that Nikon Capture has that I find absolutely necessary for me. It reduces the amount of post-processing on most of my shots to either none, or maybe using the auto-contrast, and I often will do that using the Batch Processing utility to all of my shots at one time.

So, I was wrong in assuming that the custom curves did not affect RAW files in the camera. I had thought that they were only used when the camera processed JPEG files. And it certainly follows then that the data is there for NC to use. Is it correct to assume that the raw data itself is the same and the curve is some kind of a tag that NC utilizes?

How about my question that I can always obtain the same result in post processing anyway? I realize that it takes more time, but a set of actions to accomplish what I want a curve to do should help.

Camera curves are embedded into NEF files, but they do not affect RAW data exept for the case of original D1. The moment curve is used is when Nikon software (be it in-camera rendering engine, as it is with JPEG thumbnails, PPM thumbnails, or out-of-camera JPEGs, or Nikon View/Nikon Capture/PicturePerfect) starts converting RAW files to RGB. Until conversion to RGB trough Nikon software or some third-party converters the curve is sleeping - it is just a tag.

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